Just a little over a month ago news reports were questioning what BlackBerry's next move would be, with some even suggesting it was considering selling off its handset business.
Now BlackBerry pops up with a BlackBerry Z3 built specifically for one country and it's cell phone user base, Indonesia, even boasting a special set of stickers featuring local country characters, The Punakawan.
But is this custom-made handset approach going to kick-start BlackBerry's re-entrance into the ultra-competitive smartphone market, or is it a test strategy to see if consumers want such cultural customization infused into a smartphone?
In a market where every different and unique feature is hyped and shilled as something no one else has, handset makers, even big-time leaders such as BlackBerry, can't get even a bit comfy or rest on their laurels. Apple's even feeling some pressure given Samsung's advancements and increasing expectations from users who want better, cheaper, faster and more feature-rich devices.
For BlackBerry, which debuted the Z3 Tuesday, every day represents an opportunity to turn the tide. Once the heralded business enterprise smartphone, which is still a White House choice, BlackBerry moved into consumer handsets a bit too late while at the same time losing its cherished enterprise customer base as the "bring your own device" tidal wave hit the business world.
Companies didn't want other smartphones being used for work; that's why they gave employees BlackBerry devices, as the handsets presented a secure and safe environment for sharing data and accessing networks. But BYOD can't be denied and users want the flash and snazzy that handsets such as the iPhone offer.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen obviously believes taking a culture-custom approach with devices presents a winning opportunity in a vast marketplace hungry for new affordable smartphones. The Z3, priced at under $200, has to be one of the lowest-priced BlackBerry devices to date.
"This device gives users more ways to connect, share and communicate, providing the best tool for secure, reliable communications and collaboration with friends, family and co-workers. Priced affordably, the BlackBerry Z3, Jakarta Edition, will extend the full capabilities of the BlackBerry 10 Operating System version 10.2.1 experience for a new generation of customers in Indonesia," states Chen in an announcement on the new smartphone.
BlackBerry, according to news reports, intends to sell the device in various other emerging Asia markets as well, including India and Vietnam.
But for now it's a matter of seeing how many of Indonesia's 240 million citizens grab the Z3 and if Chen and company have ignited the turn-around needed for BlackBerry to regain its former status as an innovator and smartphone leader.
